Paddle-wheel.



N0. 353.055. PATENTED MAY 7, 1907..

'L. P. BIG-GEES.

PADDLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED P331 1906. Y

3 SHEETS--SHEET 1.

rm: NORRIS PETERS m, WASHINGTON, n. c

PATENTED MAY 7, 1907.

L. P. BIGGERS.

- PADDLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED FEBTB, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' THE NORRIS PETERS cc., WASHINGTUN, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTQE.

PADDLE-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May '7, 1907.

Application filed February 5, 1906. Serial No. 299,548.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEE PERKINS BIGGERS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Palmersville, in the county of Weakley and State ofTennessee, have invented a new and useful Paddle-WVheel, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention'relates particularly to paddle wheels for steamers orother self-propelled boats, and one of the principal objects is toprovide a feathering paddle wheel of a novel character, in which theaction upon the Water can be reversed without altering the direction ofmovement of the wheel, so that the boat can be ropelled either forwardlyor backwardly wit out reversing the engines. Furthermore, the wheels maybe made to give a lifting or lowering action upon the boat.

Another and important object is to provide a wheel of the abovecharacter that will exert no material end thrust upon the shaft carryingit, and thus will eliminate friction and wear.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the wheel when the mechanism is arrangedto propel the boat in one direction. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of thesame. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the wheel, portions of the. framebeing broken away and showing the disposition of parts when the wheel isarranged to propel in the reverse direction. Fig. 4 is a horizontalsectional view through the same. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional viewthrough the structure arranged as disclosed in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is adetail perspective view showing a pair of the paddle sections. Fig. 7 isa horizontal sec tional. view therethrough and illustrating the paddlesections as they enter the guides. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective viewof one of the guides. Fig. 9 is a plan view, showinga plurality of thewheels with common means for operating the various guides thereof.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

In the embodiment illustrated, a fixed frame 10 is employed havingboxings 10*, which may be of any suitable character and is mounted onthe vessel to be propelled in any manner desired. J ournaled in theboxings 10 is a paddle shaft 11, on which is fixed a Wheel framecomprising a hub 12, that is shown as solid though the particularstructure thereof is not important. Circular concentrically disposedsets of bands are arranged around the hub in spaced relation thereto andto each other, being carried by spokes 15, that are fixed tangentiallyto the hub, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The wheel is furthermorelaterally reinforced by crossed braces 16, which connect the hub andinner set 13 of bands, and other braces 17 directly connect said bands.These various braces, spokes, and the like are preferably sharpenedalong their forward edges so as to offer as lit tle resistance aspossible in their passage through the water.

Carried by the above described Wheel frame are paddles, each of which iscomposed of a pair of blades or sections 18, journaled. upon the frameby shafts 19, the axes of which are disposed nearer one edge than theother, said shafts having bearings at their outer ends in the rim bands14; passing through the bands 13, and having their inner ends journaledin the hub 12. These paddle sections are comparatively thin and arereinforced by the embracing'arms 20 of angularly disposed fingers 21,said fingers being located preferably at substantially right angles tothe blade sections and projecting outwardly beyond the outer sides ofthe Wheel frame when the sectionsare in their feathering or inoperativepositions, as illustrated in Fig. 6. Braces 21 connecting the paddle sections and fingers, strengthen and reinforce the latter. Rollers 22 arepreferably jour naled on the outer ends of the fingers. For the purposeof maintaining the blade sections in operative position transversely ofthe wheel frame, guides 22 are employed which are located on oppositesides of the wheel frame. Each of these guides consists of a curvedholding bar 23, arranged in line with and in the path of movement of thefingers 21, said bars having inclined ends 24, forming entrance throats.The curved bars are secured to radial spokes 25, carried by spaced hubcollars 26, j ournaled on the boxes 10 as shown in Fig. 5. The saidguides 22 are freely movable, and one of their positions is defined bystationary stops 27, carried by the frame and extending inwardly towardthe wheel, said guides being engaged by the extended ends 28 of certainof the spokes 25 of the guides. The position of said guides when held bythe stops 27 is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, in which case, it will beobserved, the paddles will be held in operative position when they arepassing beneath the shaft. Retaining blocks 28 are carried by the stops27 and are disposed just outside the extended ends 28 of the spokes.Thesaid guides can also be held in diametrically opposite positions, asillustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, in which case the extended ends 28 of saidguides are held by and between movable stop arms 29, mounted on uprightrock shafts 30, journaled on the frame, these rock shafts having attheir upper ends handle levers 31, which engage quadrant racks 32. Thesimultaneous movement of the guides is secured through the medium of anysuitable gearing, as for instance, sprocket wheels 33, secured to saidguidesand engaged by chains 34, passing around other sprocket wheels 35,carried by an operating shaft 36, said shaft having suitable handlecranks 37, for turning the same.

The operation of the wheel may be briefly described as follows: Saidwheel is preferably completely submerged, though in case it is not to beused for reversing, the submergence is not necessary. When the boat isrunning in one direction, the guides are turned so that they are held asillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, by the stationary stops 27. Thus, as

v the wheel frame rotates, the outstanding fingers of the paddlesections will enter between the guides, as shown in Fig. 7, andtherollers 22 operating against said guides will cause the paddle sectionsto turn into substantial alinement, so that they will act against theWater through which they pass, and consequently, cause the propulsion ofthe vessel. As the fingers leave the guides, the blades, being againfree, will turn to their feathering positions and will remain in thesame until they have passed over the shaft and the fingers again enterbetween the guides. To reverse the movement of the'vessel, it is onlynecessary to turn the operating shaft 36,

' thereby partially revolving the guides until they can be engaged bythe arms 29, as illus trated in Figs. 3 and 4:. The paddle sections orblades will then feather as they pass beneath the shaft and will belocked in operative positions as they pass over the same.

Consequently, their action will be reversed with a correspondingmovement on the part of the vessel. In actual practice, the operatingshaft 36 and the stop-actuating levers 31 will be located upon the deckor some convenient ready described, with the exception of the gearingfor the guides, which guides are indicated at B. In this case, gearwheels 33 are secured to the guides, and meshing with said gear wheelsare other gear wheels 34?, carried by shafts 35, extending alongopposite sides of the Wheels. These shafts are connected by gearing 36with a master shaft 37*, by means of which said shafts can be turned,thus turning the guides.

It will thus be seen that a feathering and paddle wheel is provided of acomparatively simple nature and that the action thereof upon the watercan be reversed without altering the direction of movement of the wheelso that a boat can be propelled either forwardly or backwardly withoutreversing the engines. By altering the positions of the guides, thepaddles may be made to have an elevating or lifting effect upon the boator a reverse lowering movement, thus making the structure useful inshallow water or in avoiding storms. Furthermore, by employing sectionalpaddles with oppositely disposed actuating means therefor, end thrustsupon the shaft are avoided, thus eliminating friction and wear. In casethe Wheel is in backing position, or in any of the intermediatepositions and it is desired to start the boat forward, it is onlynecessary to release the guides and start the engine slowly, whereuponthe guides will be automatically moved by the wheel until stopped in thedesired relation. The frame 10 may be latticed to prevent logs, ice orother. obstructions from coming into contact with the wheel.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation, andmany advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art, without further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, andminor details of construc tion may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a paddle wheel, the combination with a rotatable support, ofpaddles mounted thereon, each paddle comprising sections separatelyjournaled on the support and movable into substantial alinementtransversely of the support, and separate devices located exteriorly ofand onopposite sides of the support for maintaining the paddle sectionsin such alinement.

2. In a paddle wheel, the combination with a rotatable support, ofpaddles mounted thereon, each paddle comprising sections separatelyjournaled on the support and movable into substantial alinementtransversely of the support, separate normally stationary guides locatedexteriorly-of and on opposite sides of the support, and holding fingerscarried by the paddle sections and disposed in angular relation thereto,said fingers engaging the guides and turning and holding the paddlesections in substantial alinement.

3. In a paddle wheel, the combination with a rotary support, of paddlescomprising radially disposed sections separately jour naled contiguousto their outer edges upon the support, outstanding fingers fixed to thepivoted edges of the paddles and disposed in angular relation to saidpaddles, and guides located on opposite sides of the support, thepaddles passing between the guides and the fingers engaging the same toturn and hold the paddle sections in transverse relation to the support.

4. In a paddle wheel, the combination with a rotary wheel having spacedrims, of paddle sections journaled in the rims and having angularlydisposed fingers that are arranged to project outwardly beyond the outersides of the wheels, and guides mounted concentrically of the wheels onopposite sides thereof and extending but partially about the same, saidfingers engaging the guides and thereby turning and holding the paddlesections in transverse relation to the support.

5. In a paddle wheel, the combination with a rotary support, offeathering paddles journaled thereon, guidingmeans for holding thepaddles against their feathering positions, means connected to theguiding means for moving the same, and means separate from the movingmeans and movable into and out of the. path of movement of the guidingmeans for locking said means against movement.

6. In a paddle wheel, the combination with a fixed frame, of a rotarysupport journaled thereon, feathering paddles journaled on the support,movable guiding means for holding the paddles out of their featheringpositions, and means mounted on the frame and movable into and out ofthe path of movement of the guiding means for locking the latter againstmovement.

7. In a paddle wheel, the combination with a fixed frame, of a rotarywheel frame j ournaled thereon, feathering paddles mounted on the wheelframe, movable guiding means for maintaining the paddles in apredetermined relation on the wheel frame, a stationary stop carried bythe fixed frame and located inthe path of movement of the guiding meansfor holding said guiding means in one position, and another stop movableinto and out of the path of movement of said guiding means to hold thesame in a different position.

8. In a paddle wheel, the combination with a fixed frame, of a wheelframe journaled thereon, co-operatin'g feathering paddle sectionsjournaled on the wheel frame and having oppositely disposed fingers thatproject on opposite sides of the wheel frame, when said sections are infeathering position, and guides located on opposite sides of the wheelframe and in the path of movement of the fingers to turn said paddlesections to and maintain them in their operative positions.

9. In a paddle wheel, the combination with a fixed frame, of a wheelframe journaled thereon, oo-operating feathering paddle sectionsjournaled on the wheel frame and having oppositely disposed fingers thatproject on opposite sides of the wheel frame when said sections are infeathering position, guides located on opposite sides of the wheel frameand in the path of movement of the fingers to turn said paddle sectionsto and maintain them in their operative positions, and means forsimultaneously moving the guides.

10. In a paddle wheel, the combination with a fixed frame, of a shaftjournaled thereon, a wheel frame fixed to the shaft and including a hub,concentric bands surrounding the hub and spaced therefrom and from eachother, spokes connecting the bands and hub and disposed tangentially ofthe latter, paddle sections journaled between the bands and havin shaftsthat are journaled in the hub, angu arly disposed fingers carried by thesections, guides journaled on the shaft on opposite sides of the wheeland arranged to be engaged by the fingers to turn the paddle sections ofthe wheel frame, operating means for the guides including a shaft havinga handle crank, stationary stops carried by the frame for holding theguides in a predetermined position and movable into and out of the pathof movement of the guides, said other stops including rock shafts, andhandle levers carried thereby.

11. The combination with a plurality of Wheels for simultaneously movingthe same.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LEE PERKINS BIGGERS.

Witnesses -T. H. MILLER,

C. N. KILLGORE.

